Unofficial Preview Changes & discussion v Saints @ Marvel Round 15.

[Lazza16]

View attachment 1717578

Carter 15 weeks for a quad?

 

[ZoBlitz]

Carter 15 weeks for a quad?

Ah reminders of the heady days of the mid/late-00s where 1-2 week soft tissue injuries seem to see our players out for most of the season.

 

[dlanod]

Selection this week is a massive test for Fagan. Absolutely massive.

It really isn't. There will be zero repercussions one way or another for his team selection.

Continued losses would be a test, but one more reflective of game plan and style. One week's team selection and more specifically tinkering around the last two or three names on the team list is irrelevant to anyone other than our echo chamber here.

 

[dlanod]

Ah reminders of the heady days of the mid/late-00s where 1-2 week soft tissue injuries seem to see our players out for most of the season.

Poor Brennan and Drummond.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Poor Brennan and Drummond.

I still maintain it was what cruelled Matt Moody's career.

For accuracy's sake I think it was actually OP. But I do remember getting the news seemingly each week that another player had joined the Quad Squad.

 

[3KZ is Football]

It really isn't. There will be zero repercussions one way or another for his team selection.

Continued losses would be a test, but one more reflective of game plan and style. One week's team selection and more specifically tinkering around the last two or three names on the team list is irrelevant to anyone other than our echo chamber here.

I have the two linked dlanod. I would argue that selecting players on form and not reputation is an adjustment for Fagan to make. Given the margins, it is valid to suggest that we should have beaten Adelaide and Hawthorn and may well have done if we had made different selection choices. Of those two games, the Hawthorn game was the most egregious in terms of selecting out of form players. Subsequent events have borne this out. I would love to see Fagan back the team in that beat Sydney and only make two changes

• McCluggage in Fletcher out
• Zorko (Sub) in Ah Chee (sub) out

Using Zorko as an impact Sub and even giving him half a game works for me. Give Zorko the second half and say “OK Zorko - you’ve got one half to play the highest intensity football you can muster”.

 

[3KZ is Football]

BRISBANE
Some big decisions await Chris Fagan ahead of Friday night's clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium with Hugh McCluggage back from missing a week through concussion protocols, and former skipper Dayne Zorko (calf) also in the frame for a return. Do they return at the expense of youngsters Jaspa Fletcher and Kai Lohmann, or someone with more experience? Tom Fullartoncontinued to impress in the VFL with two goals from 21 disposals at the weekend and could be an option as a third tall forward as the Lions search for the right combination at that end. – Michael Whiting

 

[T Rick]

BRISBANE
Some big decisions await Chris Fagan ahead of Friday night's clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium with Hugh McCluggage back from missing a week through concussion protocols, and former skipper Dayne Zorko (calf) also in the frame for a return. Do they return at the expense of youngsters Jaspa Fletcher and Kai Lohmann, or someone with more experience? Tom Fullartoncontinued to impress in the VFL with two goals from 21 disposals at the weekend and could be an option as a third tall forward as the Lions search for the right combination at that end. – Michael Whiting

I know Clugga is an automatic selection but what worries me is the almost inevitable "off" game that players returning from concussion play. I would give him an extra week of recovery time - it was a bad concussion and he was unconscious for a some time.

 

[Nathan Barley]

I know Clugga is an automatic selection but what worries me is the almost inevitable "off" game that players returning from concussion play. I would give him an extra week of recovery time - it was a bad concussion and he was unconscious for a some time.

Is it an off game because of concussion symptoms that should be better a week later or because of the rust having missed a week which would only be made worse by missing another game?

 

[Nunez]

After watching the replay, I'd go:

In: McCluggage, Zorko
Out: Fort, Lohmann

Would love to keep Lohmann in, but just don't see how that happens.

Would love for us to run two talls but just don't see it happening.

Need to keep Jaspa in - played the two way wing role well and managed 3 shots on goal. Top shelf debut.

 

[dlanod]

I have the two linked @dlanod.

Wins and losses are linked to team selection but the impact of team selection, especially changing the 20th to 22nd selected players around is massively overstated on here. Regardless of online rhetoric, no one at the club will be looking at team selection and evaluating Fagan based off that - they'll look at results first and foremost - and any examination of team selection will likely just highly the limited impact Rich vs Wilmot moving back, or Gunston vs Fort vs Fullarton would be.

It's not like the various ins and outs are coming in and proving to be a hidden star that would turn our fortunes around - at best they have been solid role players. Funnily enough one of the better ins this year IMO is the one you then drop in Fletcher.

 

[martinson]

Is it an off game because of concussion symptoms that should be better a week later or because of the rust having missed a week which would only be made worse by missing another game?

It was a bad one. He was out cold.

Anyone who's suffered concussion ,even non sporting people ,will tell you you think you're fine but just don't feel right.

I know they'll go through all the protocols, personally I'd give him another week but I guess the club is in the best position to decide.

I remember the days when they'd just stay out there. Unbelievable in hindsight.

 

[Sanchez365]

Yeah the question IMO is can Bailey and Berry sustain the form they showed in last weeks game. If as expected McCluggage and Zorko come in for Lohmann and Fletcher, it would be good to see them just be like for like replacements.

We seem to be pretty rigid on our midfield structure, even though we have a lot of guys that could run through there.

Ashcroft (23CBA) basically stepped up into McCluggages role and Bailey (13CBA) stepped into Ashcrofts.

I wonder if they just bump everyone down with McCluggage being back or if we look at a slightly more balanced midfield group. I also hope that Fort gets way more center bounce time.

 

[Nathan Barley]

It was a bad one. He was out cold.

Anyone who's suffered concussion ,even non sporting people ,will tell you you think you're fine but just don't feel right.

I know they'll go through all the protocols, personally I'd give him another week but I guess the club is in the best position to decide.

I remember the days when they'd just stay out there. Unbelievable in hindsight.

To paraphrase the great man you don't run on your head

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Selection this week is a massive test for Fagan. Absolutely massive.

Just throwing this in.
Is Fletcher>than Bev on the outside, maybe premature , but would like to see Bev out before Fletch.
Pie in the sky stuff though , as if.

 

[martinson]

To paraphrase the great man you don't run on your head

No but your head tells your feet to move and your arms to go up and fend off and how quickly.

Though I have heard our players referred to sometimes as headless chooks. Certainly brainless .

That's the old joke of two coaches talking and one said player X was incredibly brave , his guts were hanging out ,we stitched him up , came out and kicked 2 goals. Same day Payer B got clobbered ,I thought his brains were oozing out of his head , we stitched him up ,put a headguard on ,came out and played like a demon .They went off to hospital after the game and were out for a few weeks. His players would go through a brickwall for him.

Second coach says that's nothin' . I got a player Ken Knackers , no guts and no brains and he plays every week.

 

[Dalions]

It was clear to all that Rich and Gunston were no longer best 22 (on current form).
But with both Clugga and Zorks ready to go it will just be a question of who comes out, rather than if they come back in.
If it were me I would be tempted to go for a slightly quicker side for the next 2 weeks at least against StKilda and Richmond and for that reason I would drop Fort for 1 of them and then it is the question of whether it is Lohmann or Fletcher out for the other.
Dev has more runs on the board especially in big games, so he stays in for mine.
Without the extra tall, Oscar would need to spend a bit more time in the forward line when resting rather than on the bench.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Could we play a quicker backline and bring Madden in for Lester?

Play Lester as the sub for coverage

 

[M Malice]

Could we play a quicker backline and bring Madden in for Lester?

Play Lester as the sub for coverage

I am a fan boy of Madden and would like him to get an extended go but I can't see that happening.

 

[Section 5]

I would like to see how much Fullerton has improved as a forward.
VFL form indicates that he has.
Third tall in the AFL should now suit him. Some ruck relief shared with Jo.
It is a jump in class, but he gets the 3rd KPD instead of the 1st KPD.
Fullarton is also marking the ball very well in the VFL.
His last AFL game was the SF win over the Demons.

Saints only have one ruck in Marshall with Mitch Owens pitching in at present.
Owens has only played 19 games, is 191cm, 85kg, and under 20 years old.

We know what Fort gives us at AFL level. I just think it is time to try another player in that 3rd tall position.

Happy for Fort to stay but he is a far better ruck than a forward.

 

[briztoon]

Could we play a quicker backline and bring Madden in for Lester?

Play Lester as the sub for coverage

You’re a nasty man.

 

[Nathan Barley]

You’re a nasty man.

People talk about going quick. If you want to do this effectively it should start in the backline

Plus would get some funny responses on this board

 

[Dalions]

Plus would get some funny responses on this board

 

[twhowler]

Wins and losses are linked to team selection but the impact of team selection, especially changing the 20th to 22nd selected players around is massively overstated on here. Regardless of online rhetoric, no one at the club will be looking at team selection and evaluating Fagan based off that - they'll look at results first and foremost - and any examination of team selection will likely just highly the limited impact Rich vs Wilmot moving back, or Gunston vs Fort vs Fullarton would be.

It's not like the various ins and outs are coming in and proving to be a hidden star that would turn our fortunes around - at best they have been solid role players. Funnily enough one of the better ins this year IMO is the one you then drop in Fletcher.

Do we overly focus on the last few spots compared to their importance? Yes. Fair call.

But i would respectfully disagree that the impact is always minimal. It definitely can be - for example if we are debating Berry v Ah Chee - neither huge ball winners, both role-players, same position, likely won't affect match much. There have been plenty of similar debates over the years on here.

But Fort vs Gunston - that's a big difference. Fort wasn't amazing on Friday but changes our structure because the dump kick won't get outmarked with him there, and gives us 2 rucks and allows us to change him and Oscar if we want. Similarly Rich for Fletcher is a big change - our run goes up a lot, our backline has no slow player with Wilmot for Rich.

With 75 interchanges and constantly fresh players there's nowhere to hide for someone. Having Rich and Gunston as total liabilities in terms of run in recent weeks has left us exposed. Swapping them both out makes us look like a very different team. Here's hoping we can make that work v Saints and keep plenty of the run in. BUT i must admit i find this week very difficult as to how to make that happen. Two obvious ins, to me no obvious outs despite a mediocre overall performance v swans, which would have been a lot better with straight kicking.

 

[Section 5]

Lohmann and or Fletcher get a game this week if.
One or both of McCluggage and Zorko have another week off.
They possibly drop McCarthy which is unlikely.

The most likely scenario is what most of us think will happen being, both youngsters out for McCluggage and Zorko.
The positive being Lohmann & Fletcher both showed they can slot into these positions when called upon.